2026 Rankings: The Top-5

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Alright, done wading through all the wonderful e-mail messages. Now I've got time to talk about these athletes. Congrats to the players we'll talk about here for being listed in the top-5 of the 2026 rankings. Some of them have been there since the previous iteration of the rankings and some are making their debut there this time around. This is most definitely not the last ranking to come out, so don't anyone get too comfortable. Good, healthy competition is always good for everyone... except maybe the parents in my DM's.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NUMBER ONE:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["572451"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"In my first contact with Kyiah, she stole my shoes. You would think that would make me not want her at No. 1 anymore, but in this case it was a good thing. We were at an event where there was a one-on-one challenge and a three-point contest and I apparently needed to study up on this eighth grader a little more. I bet her the shoes I was wearing that she couldn't win both competitions and what do you know? She did. Who knew this 6'1u0022 player with the strength of a post could move so well with the ball that she would beat a senior guard who was D-I bound in one-on-one and then turn right around and win the three-point contest? I didn't. Me and my shoes never saw it coming. Maybe the 14+ D-I coaches who have offered her could've warned me?","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65ba9a7114dc3"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NUMBER TWO:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["572965"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"I may have mentioned before that the first time I saw Maddi play, I was pretty sure that she was a senior. She had control of the floor like I have never seen from any player with the ball in her hands... at any age. Her sense of timing is unmatched and the game has slowed down for her in a way that you just don't see in high school kids. She just received an offer from Oklahoma State and I think that it will begin a snowball effect of D-I offers for this talented athlete. She is an impressive prospect and as her stock keeps rising, she becomes more and more positioned to take over the No. 1 spot in the class of 2026 rankings. She is built for the college game at a high level and the more I watch her play, the more I start to think she might just be built for the game after the college level. She is that good.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65ba9a7114e2e"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NUMBER THREE:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["572453"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"I got to see Jayla recently as PC West finally knocked off their nemesis Edmond North in Tulsa and she was a HUGE part of what the Patriots did on both ends of the floor. She is a floor general who controls the flow of the game with the ball in her hands, but more than that, her ability to create and get to the rim causes a LOT of problems for defenses. Surrounded by other very talented players, as she is at PC West, Jayla racks up the assists with lightning quick speed and even quicker decision making. She is dedicated on the defensive end and did some tremendous things to show that she is a well-rounded athlete. She is bouncy, fast, tall, and long, and I think her game will translate nicely to the next level.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65ba9a7114e86"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Number Four:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["578032"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"I went down to Madill earlier this year to see E'Niyah with my own eyes after marveling at all the things she could do on tape for way too long. Of course, when I got there, I found out that she was injured the night before and was going to be missing a significant amount of time. Still, I got to meet her and the family and can tell the college coaches I speak with that they will be getting one heck of a person to go along with all of those skills we've all seen on tape. As far as that side of things go, what was it that helped her jump up eleven spots this time around? A coach's daughter, she is an intelligent player with a body made for the game at the next level. She is tall, strong, and very fast. She can shoot it and shows great footwork inside, meaning she is a true three-level scorer. It will be great to see her back on the floor soon!","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65ba9a7114ede"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NUMBER FIVE:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["578033"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"It was nice to get my first look in-person at Makiya at one of our events, the PGH Top-250 Expo. It gave me a chance to see her, sort of, out of her element. She didn't have her usual teammates, her usual plays to run. What did she do? Well, she impressed me beyond pretty much anyone else I saw there. She was so smooth with everything that she did. Her game is far ahead of a lot of her peers and she has that added u0022wants itu0022 factor that you just can't teach. Add in her 4.0 GPA (which she is hopefully keeping up this school year) and you have a tremendous all-around Division-I prospect. Lindenwood has already come calling and I have a feeling that after this summer, there will be plenty more to add to the list.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65ba9a7114f34"} /-->